Perham Natural Gas has been providing natural gas service since 1960. Perham Natural Gas provides reliable, clean and safe distribution of natural gas to residential, commercial and industrial customers. Natural gas is today’s environmental energy choice and Perham Natural Gas has taken strides to extend gas service to an increasing customer base. In 1996 the gas service area was extended south around Otter Tail Lake and the City of Ottertail, and north around Little Pine and Big Pine Lakes. We currently serve over 3,000 customers in and around the City of Perham.

BENEFITS OF NATURAL GAS
Natural gas provides several benefits to the user including convenience, cost savings, no risk of running out of fuel, no need for a fuel storage tank, and you pay for gas after you use it. In the home natural gas is used for heating, cooling, cooking, drying clothes, water heating, fireplaces, outdoor cooking, and outdoor lighting.

With natural gas, 93% of the original energy that leaves the ground reaches your home, compared to electricity where only 28% of the original energy reaches your home. Natural gas costs less to use than electricity, heating oil, propane or kerosene. Fortunately, natural gas is the largest source of energy produced in North America and it remains plentiful and affordable.

Natural gas is today’s environmental energy choice. Because it is clean burning, natural gas is the preferred fuel for preserving our environment and reducing air pollution. Continued use of natural gas can help address air quality issues including smog, acid rain, and greenhouse gas emissions.    

Approximately 99% of the natural gas used in the United States comes from North America. Gas is released by drilling holes into rocks. Once the gas is processed it is moved through the 2 million-mile underground delivery system. The gas is kept moving by compression, with pressure regulated at pumping stations. Once the natural gas reaches the City of Perham, it is transferred into large main lines and fed into smaller services lines at reduced pressure. These service lines are connected to individual gas meters at residential, commercial and industrial locations.

 

Learn to recognize the warning signs of a natural gas leak:  Smell: Natural Gas itself is odorless, but an odorant is added to help detect a leak, it is described as smelling like rotten eggs or sulfur.  Hear: Leaking natural gas may produce a hissing or blowing sound. See: A potential leak might also cause bubbling in puddles or blowing dirt/dust, or dead grass and plants for no apparent reason.

Suspect a gas leak?  ACT IMMEDIATELY
Evacuate the area—travel upwind to escape any potentially dangerous accumulation of gas and do not reenter until told it’s safe to do so. Call Perham Natural Gas or 9-1-1 from a safe location, such as a neighbor’s house—NOT the building or area where you smell the gas. DO NOT: light a match, operate light switches, appliances, engines, cell phones, or any other potential sources of ignition.  Warn others to stay out of the area until help arrives.

Excavation Safety
A leading cause of gas system damage is failure to call 8-1-1

* Gopher State One Call is a free statewide service that allows utilities to locate any buried facilities they own before you start digging. They can be contacted at (800) 252-1166 or by dialing 8-1-1

* Just call two (2) business days before digging and provide the requested information

* Remember to Call—It’s free and it’s the law!

 For more safety tips click here.

EXCESS FLOW VALVE CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION

Beginning April 14, 2017 a new regulation set by the Federal Government will require Perham Natural Gas Company to notify their customers about the excess flow valves (EFV) and install EFV if the customer requests one. There is a cost to install the valve.

You may request that Perham Natural Gas Company install an excess flow valve on the gas line to your property. EFVs are mechanical shut-off devices that can be installed in the gas pipe running to the gas meter at your property (the “service line”). An EFV is designed to shut off the flow of natural gas automatically if the service line breaks, for example, by an excavation accident. Stopping the flow of gas from a broken service line significantly reduces the risk of natural gas fire, explosion, personal injury and/or property damage.

EFVs are not designed to close if a leak occurs beyond the gas meter (on house piping or appliances). EFVs also may not close if the leak on the service line is small.

If you add additional gas appliances, for example, a pool heater, emergency generator, etc., the additional gas flow may cause the EFV to close.

You will be billed for the cost of installing the EFV. The average installation cost is typically $600.00 to $1,200.00, but the actual installation cost will depend on the difficulty of the installation. We will inform you of the actual cost before you make the final decision to install the EFV.

If it becomes necessary to maintain or replace the EFV on your service line we will maintain or replace the EFV at no charge to the customer if the malfunction is caused by a mechanical failure. If the replacement is necessary because of additional appliances the cost will be billed to the customer. Industry experience is the EFVs rarely malfunction.

EFVs will not be installed on your service line if:

• The service line does not operate at a pressure of 10 psig or greater throughout the year;

• The EFV could interfere with proper operation or cause loss of service;

• An EFV could interfere with necessary operation or maintenance activities; or

• The capacity of the meter on the service line meets any of these conditions.

For your safety always call 811 to have the gas lines and other buried utilities marked before digging.

If you are interested in the EFV installation or would like to obtain more information, please contact Jeremie Schossow at (218) 346-5242 or jschossow@cityofperham.com

 

Perham Natural Gas Coverage Area